FORT MYERS -- (AP) -- Fort Myers police have stopped a teenager from chalking the names of Iraq war casualties on downtown sidewalks.
Willie Filkowski, 15, and two companions were told to stop their writing after a city worker called authorities claiming there was an anti-war protest going on in downtown.
Filkowski had begun his chalk work on July 1 and had worked on his memorial most nights along with his parents, sister and friends. He started writing the names beneath a flagpole in an area park and had written almost 300 names before being stopped Monday evening. Recent rains and power washings have since swept away much of the writing.
''I thought it would be thought-provoking, and it appeals to people on both sides of the issue,'' Filkowski told The News-Press in Fort Myers.
Authorities told him the chalk was graffiti, he said.
An officer told the teen he should apply for a permit with the City Council, Fort Myers Police Department spokeswoman Maureen Buice said. Officers thought the chalking could distract drivers and pedestrians, causing accidents or affecting foot traffic, Buice said.
Filkowski won't necessarily be chalking again any time soon, however. The acting city manager told The News-Press he wouldn't grant a permit because Filkowski does not have any signs or plaques recognizing his work as a memorial.
The legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, Randall Marshall, said the city may be overstepping its boundaries, judging the chalking on its content.
Post subject: Re: Teen can't chalk names of war dead
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:16 pm
Of Counsel
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
Peeps wrote:
wait...did the world just stop rotating...my lord i think it did
Quote:
''I thought it would be thought-provoking, and it appeals to people on both sides of the issue,'' Filkowski told The News-Press in Fort Myers.
so what, there are a ton of things out there that can be thought provoking, doesnt mean you have the right write in chalk in a city owned area
i swear, people take the whole, youre infringing on my rights to an atrocious level
Yeah, that chalk is doing long term damage to that city owned area. And considering that it rains nearly every day in Fort Meyers this time of year, that chalk might last for a whole week before all traces disappear naturally.
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
Post subject: Re: Teen can't chalk names of war dead
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:18 am
too drunk to moderate properly
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
*FINED!*
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Post subject: Re: Teen can't chalk names of war dead
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:51 am
too drunk to moderate properly
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Peeps wrote:
so youre saying its ok for me to write in chalk, hey, they mayor loves to give a dirty sanchez to underage boys
*the
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Post subject: Re: Teen can't chalk names of war dead
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:53 am
too drunk to moderate properly
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
I should have called the cops on the kids in my neighborhood for this one.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Post subject: Re: Teen can't chalk names of war dead
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:41 pm
too drunk to moderate properly
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
simple schoolboy wrote:
How consistently have y'all been getting snow? I thought it wasn't something that happened every year.
I think this past winter we got a dusting once. I took that picture in ... I believe ... 2004. I'd guess that out of 4 years, 1 year we'd get nothing, 1 year we'd get hammered, and 2 years we'd get one decent snowstorm.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Post subject: Re: Teen can't chalk names of war dead
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:03 pm
Administrator
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:51 pm Posts: 14534 Location: Mesa,AZ
B wrote:
simple schoolboy wrote:
How consistently have y'all been getting snow? I thought it wasn't something that happened every year.
I think this past winter we got a dusting once. I took that picture in ... I believe ... 2004. I'd guess that out of 4 years, 1 year we'd get nothing, 1 year we'd get hammered, and 2 years we'd get one decent snowstorm.
Over here, I'd say out of every hundred years, 98 we'd get nothing, and two we'll get one minor snowstorm.
_________________
John Adams wrote:
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum
